End-gate



(No Model.)

4 J. MOFARLAND.

END GATE.

Patented Mar. 17, 1891L n'rnrrr @rrrcn.

JOHN MOFARLAND, OF DEDIIAM, 1()\VA EN D-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 448,249, dated March 17, 1891.

Serial No. 361,145 (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN MCFARLAND, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Dedham, in the county of Carroll and State of Iowa, have invented an Improved \Vagon-End-Gate Fastener, of which the following is a specification.

My object is to facilitate the fastening and unfastening, adjusting, and removing of a wagon end-gate, adapted to be usedas a gate, shoveling-board, or seat at the willof the user.

My invention consists in the construction, combination, and use of devices with a wagonboX and end-gate, as hereinafter clearly set forth, point-ed out in my claim, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view showing my complete invention applied as required for practical use as an end-gate and the gate closed and locked. Fig. 2 is aside view showing the end-gate supported in position as required for practical use as a shoveling-board. The dotted lines in Fig. 2 represent the end-gate in position for use as a seat. Fig. 3 is a per-. speotive view showing the end-gate closed and locked. Fig. at is a perspective view showing a device for attaching the supporting-rope to the wagon-box and lengthening and shortening the rope as required to regulate its tension.

A represents a wagon-box of common form.

A represents the auxiliary side-boards of the wagon-box.

A are perforations in the rear end portions of the side-boards A 13 represents the rear cross-bar to which the bottom boards of the box are hired. This cross-bar B projects rearward past the said bottom boards and is adapted to support the end-gate. The end portions of the barB project past the sides of the box A and are made of equal width with that portion of the bar that projects rearward from the bottom board.

C represents the back, and D the side pieces, of an end-gate. The back. 0 and side pieces D are strengthened and connected by means of bars F and F braces 11, and angle-irons I1 fixed thereto. The ends of the bar F excircular in cross section,

endsare provided with transverse perforations adapted in size to admit a rope therein. The bars F and F and the braces II have pins J fixed to their outer surfaces and proj ecting at right angles therefrom.

K is a hook made of fiat metal and is fixed to the lower end of the side pieces D. This hook has a double-elbow-shaped bend in one end portion, the rear angle Y of which is adapted to engage the projecting end portion of the bar 13. A corresponding hook is applied on the opposite side, but not shown in the drawings.

L represents a rope adapted in size to pass throughtheperforations in the sides of the box and the ends of the bar F. The device shown in Fig. 4: consists of an angle-plate M, made of metal and perforated in each end portion. This an gle-plate also has semicircular notches in the parallel edges of one end portion thereof.

In the practical use of my invention I place the end-gate in a vertical position, so that the lower end of the end-gate will be supported by the bar B, and the angle K of the hook K engage the projecting ends of the bar 113, and the weight of the sides D will hold the endgate in a vertical position when the box is empty and stationary. I then insert the ends of the rope through the perforations in the projecting ends of the bar F, and thence through the perforations A to the inside of the box A. I thus pass each end of the rope through the perforations in the angle-plate, as shown in Fig. 4, thence obliquely across the under side of the said angle-plate, thence upward, so that the rope engages one of the notches in the edge of the plate, thence across the top of the plate beneath the rope and allow the end to depend from the opposite edge of the plate, as shown clearly in Figs. 3 and i. I then loop the bight of the rope around one or. both of the projecting ends of the bar F and then place the bight of the rope under the lower pair of pins J. If I desire to still further tighten the rope, I place it in engagement with one or both of the upper pair of'pins J.

hen I desire to use the end-gate as a shoveling-board, I remove the bight of the rope from engagement with the pins J and tilt the end-gate backward and allow it to be bar, and a rope passed through the perfo- [o v supported by the rope. I adjust the end-gate rated ends of the bar audits ends fastened to to any angle by simply looping the rope over the sides of the Wagon-box, to operate in the the projecting ends of the bar F any desired manner set forth, for the purposes stated. number of times.

I claim as my inventionw JOHN MOFARLAND' A wagon end-gate having a bar fixed to its 1 Vitnesses: rear side and the ends of the bar pe1'forated,- S. 0. SWEET, and fixed pins projecting outward below the THOMAS G. ORWIG. 

